Times of India: Nagpur: Wednesday, 17 December 2014.
The nexus between Nagpur Improvement Trust (NIT)
and Hotel Airport Centre Point is so strong that the civic agency is turning a blind
eye towards encroachment by the hotel on a large chunk of green belt space
since many years. It is also neglecting the unauthorized constructions in the
hotel building.
The residents of Mulik layout had obtained
documents related to their layout under the Right To Information (RTI) Act. The
layout's sanctioned plan revealed a green belt space of 6,269.31 sq ft (582.65 sq mt) as part of the layout
and situated between Wardha road and Hotel Airport Centre Point hotel .
According to letters sent by the NIT to the layout residents, the particular
patch of land was reserved under Green Belt Control Scheme since February 18, 1948. Thus, the land was supposed to be used for plantation and should be open to
public.
However, the hotel has encroached upon the space
meant for public . It has actually constructed a compound wall around it. Not
just that, it has created a lawn on it and lets out the space for functions
raking in moolah. NIT is well aware of the encroachment. Documents reveal NIT
had issued notices to the hotel thrice between 2006 and 2012 to remove the encroachment.
It warned of razing the encroachment in case it was not removed by the owner in
stipulated time period. Not surprisingly, it took no action on the ground.
TOI had highlighted the NIT's decision to exchange
the layout's open space with the hotel owner in lieu of the latter's two plots.
The citizens from the layout have challenged the decision in the High Court and
obtained a stay. TOI also highlighted that the hotel had encroached upon the
open space.
The hotel owner, through a letter dated November 24, 2008, had even demanded that NIT allot the green belt space along with open
space to it. However, NIT turned down the demand on March 20, 2012. The NIT decided to allot
layout's open space behind the hotel building on February 11 this year but not the green
belt space.
The documents obtained under RTI Act also reveal
that the hotel had covered the terrace for commercial purposes and was also
utilizing the basement parking for various other purposes. NIT had given notice
in this regard too to the hotel but never took any action.
Hotel owner Sutinder Pal Singh Arora told TOI the
green belt space was still open and no construction were made on it. "We
purchased the hotel in 2002 and compound wall was constructed before taking over the property. NIT had
a problem with pandal erected on the open space which we removed. We had even
submitted a proposal with the NIT to allot open space behind the hotel. We
assured them to give more land than the open space and also to construct garden
on it for the citizens," he said. He did not say whether public can access
the green belt space.
NIT superintending engineer SS Gujjalwar said he
could comment only after sending a team to the site for inspection.
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